Railway-car brake



BljCK. v RAILWAYCAR'BRAKE.

APPLICATION F ILED DEC. 16. I921 L gagm f INVENTOR. I John Buck /Q %WM A TTORNEYS JOHN BUCK, OF JACKSON, MICHIGAN.

RAILWAY-CAR BRAKE.

Application filed December 16, 1921.

T 0 all whom it may concern.

Be it known that 1, JOHN BUCK, a citizen of the United States, residing at the city and county of Jackson, Etate of Michigan, have 5 invented certain new and useful Improvements in Railway-Car Brakes, of whi following is a specification.

ch the This invention relates to improvements in railway car brakes.

The main object of the invention is to provide an improved brake for railway cars such as street cars and the like in which the slack is automatically taken up thereby maintaining the brake shoes in proper cooperating relation to the wheels.

Further objects, and objects relating to structural details, will definitely appear from the detailed description to follow.

I accomplish the objects of the invention by the devices and means described following specification. The invent in the clearly defined and pointed out in the claims.

A structure which is a preferred embodiment of my invention is clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawing, forming apart of this application, in which:

Fig.1 is a fragmentary side view of a structure embodying the features of my improved brake, only such portions of t he ca i being shown as are deemed necessary to illustrate an application of my improvements and the portion of the car 1llustrated being shown conventionally.

Fig. H is a detail View of my improved zontal section.

brake lever connecting rod partially in hori- Fig. IIIiis a vertical section on a line corresponding to line 3-3 of Fig. II.

Fig. IV is a perspective view of the ratchet and follower bars of the connecting rod.

In the drawing similar reference c haracters refer to similar parts throughout the several views, and the sectional views are taken looking in the direction of the little arrows at the ends of the section lines.

Referring to the drawing, 1, 1 represent the wheels of a truck and 2 a portion truck frame.

of the The brake heads *3 are supdesignated at 6.

The actuatingglevers 7 and 8 are con nected to the heads by the pivot-s 9. The lever 7 is provided with an operating rod 10, while the lever o is adjustably supported at its end by the link 11 on the bracket 12.

upper Serial No. 5223M.

The lower ends of the lovers are connected by a connecting rod consisting of av pair of rod members 13 connected at their outer ends to the lower ends of the lovers by the links let. These rod members have ratchet teeth 15 and are telescopically associated with the housing-like coupling member 16 engaged by pins 18 on the rod members 13, so that the inner ends of the rod members are guided and supported.

The pins 18 are retained and slots 17 closed by the plates 19 which are removably attached to permit the removal of the pins 18. When it is desired to remove one of the rod members the side plates are removed and a pin may then be driven or pulled out.

The ratchet bar 20 is supported in the coupling member to coact with the ratchet teeth of both of the connecting rod members, the ratchet bar being provided with a double set of ratchetteeth 21 facing outwardly. This ratchet bar is held yieldingly in engagement by the springs 22 supported at their outer ends by the follower bar This follower bar is adjusted to lock the ratchet bar in engagement with the rod members.

With this arrangement of parts the connecting rod automatically extends itself to hold the brake shoes in proper relation to the wheels so that the slack is taken up. It is well-known to those connected with the operation of railway cars, such as street cars and the like, that the slack in the brakes frequently causes accidents owing to the fact that the time required to set them varies. Connecting rods are ordinarily provided with turn buckles for taking up the slack, but these require inspection and adjustment in the shop and it is found quite impossible to adjust them without the car being placed over an operating pit. In the applicants structure the wear of the shoe facings is compensated for and the brake shoes are always in proper operating relation.

I have not attempted to illustrate or describe various applications of my improvements, as I believe the disclosure made will. enable those skilled in the art to which my invention relates to embody or adapt the same as may be desired.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is;

1. In a structure of the class described, the combination of a pair of brake shoes,

hangers therefor, actuating levers for said shoes, an operating rod connected to one of said levers, a connecting rod for said levers comprising a pair of rod members connected to said levers and provided with ratchet teeth, a longitudinally slotted housing-like coupling member with which said rod members are telescopically associated, said rod members being provided with pins engaging said slots, a ratchet bar having oppositely facing teeth disposed in said coupling member for lateral movement therein to coact with the teeth of said rod members, a follower bar, springs arranged between. said follower and ratchet bars, and adjusting screws for said follower bar whereby it may be adjusted to vary the tension of the springs or to clamp the ratchet bar to said rod members.

2. in a structure of the class described, the combination "of a pair of brake shoes, hangers therefor, actuating levers for said shoes, an operating rod connected to one of said levers, a connecting rod for said levers comprising a pair of rod members con nected to said levers and provided with ratchet teeth, a longitudinally slotted housing-like coupling member with which said rod members are telescopically associated, said rod members being provided with pins engaging said slots, a ratchet bar having oppositely facing teeth disposed in said coupling member for lateral movement therein to coact with the teeth of said rod members, and means for securing said ratchet bar in engagement with said rod members.

3. In a structure of the class described, the combination of a pair of brake shoes, hangers therefor, actuating levers for said shoes, an operating rod connected to one of said levers, a. connecting rod for said levers comprising a pair of rod members connected to said levers and provided with ratchetteeth, a coupling member with which said rod members are telescopically associated, a ratchet bar disposed in said coupling member for lateral movement therein to coact with the teeth of said rod members, a follower bar, springs arranged between said follower and ratchet bars, and adjusting screws for said follower bar whereby it may be adjusted to vary the tension of the springs or to clamp the bar to said rod members.

a. In a structure of the class described,

the combination of a pair of brake shoes,

hangers therefor, actuating levers for said shoes, an operating rod connected to one of said levers, a connecting rod for said levers comprising a pair of rod members connected to said levers and provided'with ratchet teeth, a coupling member with which said rod members are telescopically associated, a ratchet bar disposed in said coupling member for lateral movement therein to coact with the teeth of said rod members, and means for securing said ratchet bar in engagement with said rod members.

5. In a structure of the class described, the combination of a pair of brake shoes, hangers therefor, actuating levers for said shoes, an operating rod connected to one of said levers, a connecting rod for said levers comprising a pair of rod members connected to said levers and provided with ratchet teeth, a coupling member with which said rod members are telescopically associated, a ratchet bar carried by said coupling member and coacting with said rod members, a follower bar, springs arranged between said follower and ratchet bars, and adjusting screws for said follower bar whereby it may be adjusted to vary the tension of the springs or to clamp the ratchet bar to said rod members.

6. In a structure of, the class described, the combination of a pair of brake shoes, hangers therefor, actuating levers for said shoes, an operating rod connected to .one of said. levers, a connecting rod for said levers comprisin a pair of rod members connected. to sai levers and providedwith ratchet teeth, a coupling member with which said rod members are telescopically associated, and a ratchet bar carried by said coupling member and coacting with said rod members. 4

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal. v

JOHN BUCK. [1 s.] iWitnesses:

HELENM. TODD, LoUIsn F. CLARKE.

ratchet 

